Articles by Kevin J. Jones
Florida Catholic event seeks to overcome denial about modern racism
Sep 8, 2018 / 03:15 amA recent event in a Florida diocese is seeking to help Catholics overcome a lack of awareness about the ongoing problem of racism in America today, said organizers of the initiative.
Nebraska bishops: Inquiry about sex abuse will provide truth, accountability
Sep 6, 2018 / 16:12 pmThe Nebraska attorney general has asked the state’s three Roman Catholic dioceses for information on sexual abuse and other misconduct, and all three dioceses have said they will cooperate with the request.
Despite McCarrick abuse claims, State Department leaves questions unanswered
Sep 5, 2018 / 02:00 amFormer cardinal Theodore McCarrick made several overseas trips with the U.S. State Department, including some documented on Wikileaks, but a State Department spokesman avoided direct questions about whether his alleged sexual misconduct has prompted a review of his work under U.S. auspices.
Pittsburgh priest: Catholics angered by abuse reports deserve a hearing
Aug 29, 2018 / 02:01 amCatholics who are demoralized, angered, or scandalized by revelations about sex abuse must feel free to talk to clergy and other Catholics, and other Catholics must reach out to them, a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh has said.
After controversy, Calif. bishop to put planned retirement home up for sale
Aug 28, 2018 / 18:01 pmA 73-year-old bishop in California has changed his retirement plans after media reports sparked criticism of his decision to purchase a five-bedroom home for $2.3 million in California’s overheated housing market.
How seminaries help men discern the call to chaste celibacy
Aug 26, 2018 / 15:01 pmWhen seminaries aim to form Catholic men to live a chaste, celibate life, it’s a matter of both the right habits and the right perspective: choosing celibacy as a way to show God’s love.
Does the Pa. grand jury report mean changes for statutes of limitations?
Aug 17, 2018 / 02:23 amFollowing a major grand jury report on past sexual abuse in six Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania, discussions continue over whether and how to change the state’s legal limits on prosecution and civil lawsuits for sex abuse.
Abuse accusations bring scrutiny for McCarrick's charity fund
Aug 10, 2018 / 15:41 pmFormer cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s roles included service on the boards of at least two foundations that gave over $500,000 combined to his personally overseen fund at the Archdiocese of Washington over a decade’s time.
Lonely but determined, pro-life Democrats speak up
Jul 31, 2018 / 13:01 pmFormer Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak has one word to sum up the plight of the pro-life Democrat: “Lonely.”
Texas bishop: hold McCarrick and his enablers accountable
Jul 28, 2018 / 14:33 pmFormer Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s alleged crimes might merit removing him from the clergy entirely—and they require accountability for all Church leaders who knew of his alleged misconduct and did nothing, Bishop Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth, Texas has said in a letter to the faithful of his diocese.
How Fr. Spitzer wants to make Catholicism credible for doubting Millennials
Jul 26, 2018 / 23:00 pmHow can Catholics respond to young people’s questions and concerns about faith, science, and modern problems?
In China, government-aligned bishops release ‘Sinicization’ plan
Jul 24, 2018 / 23:00 pmContinuing a controversial plan, Chinese bishops allied with the government have told dioceses to prepare local versions of a “Sinicization” program to bring the Catholic Church more in-line with the government’s understanding of Chinese culture, society and politics.
The consistent pro-life ethic can’t be ‘Calvinball’, prof tells pro-life Dems
Jul 24, 2018 / 09:56 amEfforts to advance a pro-life ethic need to be “authentic, consistent and beautiful” if they are to combat the “throwaway culture” diagnosed by Pope Francis--and they must reject any similarity to “Calvinball”, the fictional game without rules from the Calvin and Hobbes comic, Charles Camosy, a Fordham University ethics professor, told a conference of pro-life Democrats.
Embryo gene-editing poses inescapable ethical problems, critic says
Jul 18, 2018 / 18:00 pmGenetic editing of human embryos, even in special circumstances, ignores the complex ethical problems related to creating and destroying human embryos, a Catholic bioethicist has said.
Read Vatican guide to consecrated virginity with discernment, canonist says
Jul 16, 2018 / 12:56 pmA new Vatican instruction on the role of consecrated virginity has drawn criticism from an American group, which says that a key paragraph of the document could lead to confusion. At issue is whether entering the Church’s “order of virgins” requires that women actually be virgins.
In Minnesota, Catholic Charities sues near-bankrupt diocese
Jul 12, 2018 / 05:00 amThe fate of a children’s home is the subject of a lawsuit against the Diocese of St. Cloud, Minn., by the diocese’s Catholic Charities affiliate, which fears the diocese’s planned bankruptcy could disrupt services at the facility.
Cheyenne diocese: sex abuse claims against retired bishop appear credible
Jul 3, 2018 / 16:28 pmEmeritus Bishop Joseph Hart has been credibly accused of sexually assaulting two boys after he became Bishop of Cheyenne in 1976, the Wyoming diocese has said, following an investigation of charges ordered by its current bishop.
Amid policy debate, US bishops hear from migrants at the border
Jul 2, 2018 / 12:24 pmSeeking to hear the stories of migrants and how they have been affected by U.S. detention policy, a delegation of Catholic bishops is visiting the U.S.-Mexico border this week.
American Medical Association urged to keep stance against assisted suicide
Jun 13, 2018 / 13:27 pmThe American Medical Association voted this week to return to committee a report recommending continued opposition to physician assisted suicide - a move that commentators have called a missed opportunity to stand up for the value of human life.
Why some Catholics are skeptical of Pride Month
Jun 7, 2018 / 16:08 pmWhile the month of June is marked by LGBT pride events, some Catholic critics have voiced wariness and concern that the events draw people away from God’s plan for humankind.